


With Friends Like These...

by dr34m3rgurl



Series: The Awesome Adventures of an OC [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Actual female development, Cuz I literally cannot write any other way, I'm looking at u Kishimoto, I've no plans or plots as of yet, Multi, OC shipping - Freeform, Slow Burn, additional tags will be added as needed, characters will be added in the tags as introduced, hopefully y'all will like it though, they usually come as I write
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-18 02:12:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5894134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dr34m3rgurl/pseuds/dr34m3rgurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kotone's teammates are a little kookie, and it's tough to see how they're supposed to get along. Akara can be a bit brash and abrasive, Osamu's too much of a smooze, and Kotone herself finds trouble asserting herself. Teams are supposed to work together, so there's probably room to grow, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: A Chance Meeting

The yard was empty, save a lone swing swaying in the breeze with an even lonelier boy seated on it. He watched as families picked up their children; some happy, some shy, some proud, children of all ranges and yet none seemed to be like him. He wondered, even if imagining it sometimes stung deep in his chest, what it would be like if parents of his own came to pick him up. Would they be proud of his work today? Would they be disappointed in his antics towards the other students? He’d even settle for strict parents, shaking their head as he walked home with less than satisfactory improvement.

He just wanted a home to walk home to.

”Mommy says people sigh like that when they’re not happy.”

The boy looked up, a smaller girl who couldn’t have been any less than two years younger than him stood in front of his swing with wide eyed curiosity, none of the usual hate or fear he saw in other kids his own age. She’d probably learn soon enough, they usually do.

”Aren’t you too little to be wandering around by yourself?”

”My big brother isn’t back from training.” She scuffed at the ground with her sandal, sending little pebbles skittering away. “I came to find him.”

That made the boy perk up, only slightly. “Training? Is he a ninja?”

The little girl beamed, his imagination kicked in again. Would he have had a little sibling that looked up to him like that?

”Yes! He’s got a team and a sensei and a headband and everything!” Her hands went out, flailing about as if gestures could communicate the words that slurred together as she talked, a product of two missing front teeth. “I’m gunna be just like him when I grow up!”

The boy grinned despite himself, feet swinging just above the ground until he leapt from his seat. Standing firmly on the ground, he placed both hands on his hips and thrust out his chest, the picturesque pose of respect he so badly wanted.

”Really? When I grow up, I’m going to become Hokage!” 

The little girl gasped, hands flying up to cover her mouth.

”Really? I’m going to be an anbu!”

”An anbu?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “Pretty lofty isn’t that? They only take the best ninja’s out there, you know?”

”I’m gunna be the best!”

”Nu-uh, because _I’m_ going to be the best. Ever.”

She started stamping her feet; puffing her cheeks out and he could practically see the steam snorting out her nose.

”Not if I’m the best first!”

”How old are you?”

”I’m six!”

”Well, I’m eight and I have two years on you. I’m better already.”

”Well my big brother’s teaching me to throw kunai already.”

”Well I’m already in the Academy!”

Her cheeks puffed out again, turning her head sharply in a pretty dramatic pout. Just like a kid, he thought, and outright laughed at her antics. Which quite honestly did little in the way of defusing the smaller girl’s rising temper.

”It’s not funny! I’m gunna be a ninja some day too! No matter what papa says!”

His laughter cut short, giving her a curious look.

”Why? What’s your dad say?”

”He says girls shouldn’t be ninjas, they get hurt too much.” She crossed her arms tightly, her expression turning surprisingly sour. “I don’t want to be a doctor like mama. I wanna be a great ninja!”

In three short steps he crossed over to her, laying a hand on her head with a broad grin.

”Be the best. Then show your dad why he’s wrong.”

She blinked at him with wide eyes, letting his words sink in slowly before returning his grin. About to reply, she was quickly cut off by a shout across the court yard.

” _Kotone Hachimitsu!_ ” A sharp voice called, and they both turned to see a young man marching his way over. The boy winced, noting the furious expression he held.

”Yuki!” The girl seemed unphased, throwing her hands up for whom the boy could only assume was her elder brother. Confirmed by the way he scooped her up, quickly retreating way from the boy. “Yuki you didn’t even say hi to me or my new friend.”

”Don’t make friends with that boy.” The boy winced again, turning his head away. “He’s trouble.”

“Aw but Yuki!”

”No buts. Naruto isn’t a normal kid. Just stay away from him.”

Of course the pleasantries weren’t going to last.


	2. Who Needs Teammates?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What took so long was I started getting carried away with plotting. Also, making up side characters, because I'd need a couple of extra teams to make up Kotone's graduating class. And then all of them started getting some of their own stories and this may be turning out to be a bigger project than I intended. Anyway! Enjoy the chapter, please lemme know if you like it, a little encouragement goes a long way! Also, enjoy my shitty art in the middle of the chapter. Don't expect it to happen very often though.

The smile in the mirror was unmistakable, wide and excited as a young kunoichi held her newly acquired forehead protector. More than once, she had to tell herself to stop running her fingers over the smooth, shining metal. She couldn’t help herself though, the official status that she’d made it; she was a ninja. It was such a huge leap forward towards her dream that it gave her renewed hope, a fresh sense of accomplishment that left her glowing with pride. 

“Your face looks silly with your bangs pushed back like that.” A mocking voice called from her doorway, and Kotone turned on her heels, hand still tying the knot of the forehead protector behind her head. 

”A ninja shouldn’t be so vain that she’s worried about how her bangs look.” She waggled her finger at her brother, at his sarcastic grin. “Besides, it’s a _forehead_ protector. It goes on your forehead.”

”Dad had his on his belt, you’ve seen the old photo albums. Besides, I’ve seen other ninjas put them in all sorts of strange places.”

With a huff, the younger sibling tugged loose stray hairs that had gotten caught in the knot and pulling down the metal plating, letting it hang freely around her neck.

”There, that any better?”

”Oh no, that’s much worse.” In a few short steps, the taller boy had crossed into her room to tug at her new neck accessory. “Easily can be used to choke you now, enemy gets up behind you then bam! Your out cold in a matter of seconds.”

Kotone pouted, batting away his hands and crossing her arms.

”Well I don’t want to hide it, Yuki!”

”You’ll figure it out.”

He gave the top of her head an affectionate scruff, mussing up the pitch-black locks that ran deep in their family genetics. 

”Get out you goddamn bean-pole, I gotta get ready for team assignments!”

The boy laughed, dragging his feet as the smaller girl pushed with all her might to get him out of her room. It took a minute or two, plenty of angry grumbling, and _Mom! Yuki won’t get out of my room again!_

Finally, she got him out the door way, but before she could slam the door on him he laid hand on her head again.

”Hey. Proud of you.”

She paused, looking up at him with wide eyes as he scruffed her hair again.

”Really, you did good.”

”Wish dad was there.”

There was a long, tense silence that hung heavy in the air. 

”Hey, he’ll come ‘round eventually. You’ll see. He can’t be a hard ass forever. Just blow him away with your amazing skills, you’ve already got the talent.”

”Yeah yeah, now scoot. I gotta get ready.”

”Just don’t take too long. Remember, ‘ _a ninja isn’t vain._ ’ Or something along those lines.”

Kotone practically slammed the door in his face finally, letting out a long and drawn out huff as she heard poorly muffled laughter from the other side of her door. Vain her ass, that coming from the boy who once spent half an hour throwing a hissy fit because he’d gotten a spaghetti sauce stain all over his favorite hoodie. He was right, though, trying to push her bangs back with the forehead protector made her bangs stick up in odd place behind it. 

Maybe it was a little vain, but she couldn’t see her peers taking her seriously with her hair pulling a weird. 

Not to mention she’d already seen her classmates proudly displaying their proof of graduating, not all of them chose to leave it on their heads. Some went with belts (like her father when he was her age), or headbands (that felt like a cop-out for some reason), or other creative placements other than their foreheads. She’d settle on something later, it wasn’t like she couldn’t change her mind as time went on.

A quick change of clothes and a hair tie to her locks and she was out the door, barely catching the good luck shout from Yuki as she sprinted to the Academy. It was proving to be incredibly difficult to contain her giddy emotions; with all that had happened with the chuunin exams just last year, the need for new recruits was something fierce. 

And here she was doing her part, something to be proud of.

”Whoa watch-!”

Kotone didn’t catch the end tail of the warning before barreling head first into someone, catching only a flash of colors as she tumbled over herself, stunned for all of two seconds. If she wasn’t already late, it’d be a mess of _I’m so sorry!_ s and several _I’ll make it up to you I swear!_ s. As it stood right now, however, she would probably be the last to make it up to the classroom. 

Probably what one would expect when you spent most your morning day dreaming about possible team match ups.

”I’m sorry!” She managed at least one of her apologies, but didn’t spare a glance back as she pulled herself up to her feet and resumed her sprint. “I’m going to be late though, sorry!”

“Punk kid!”

”You’re a kid too, idiot! Why don’t you watch where you’re going huh?!”

”Ow that hurt!”

Kotone couldn’t help but grin and giggle, whoever they were, they sounded like good friends despite the grumbling and minor violence. Another, more established team, she’d have to guess.

She could only hope she’d be good friends with her team too. Whoever they might end up being.

”Kotone! Hey you late too?”

The little ninja turned her head up to see another of her classmates leaning against the doorframe of the Academy, an easy going grin on his face as he watched her approaching.

”You’re not late, you’re doing that thing where you wait around until you’re late.” She rolled her eyes, easing into a slow trot then walking into the halls with him.

”Maybe, maybe I was just waiting for you to show up.”

That earned him a hard, but affectionate shove. He stumbled with a hearty laugh.

”Dumbass! Just cuz we’re friends doesn’t mean you have to make yourself late too Takeshi. If you’re that worried you should have came to get me.”

”And risk another praising lecture from your father? No thank you, that’s beyond uncomfortable.” Takeshi dramatically mocked a full body shiver, complete with wrapping his arms around himself. “If I have to listen to another _Son, you’re becoming a fine man. Your parents should be proud of you_ , man I don’t know what I’d do. But I can assure you that it’d be rather unpleasant. Probably hilariously unpleasant, but unpleasant none the less.”

”C’mon.” She said with a roll of her eyes, grabbing his sleeve and picking up her gait. “You can continue your grumbling after we find out our teams.”

”Maybe we’ll get on the same team. We already are on pretty good terms.”

”Teams are placed together in specific squads based on co aligning statistics of their various strength and weaknesses, to ensure no team is a weak link or-“

”Hush.” Takeshi placed his whole palm over her face, earning a squeak of surprised indignation. “We’re not learning terms and definitions anymore, we’ve graduated. Now we learn tactics and actual skill sets. You need to dump the useless information to make room for the good stuff.”

“That ‘useless information’,” Kotone ended up biting his palm in retaliation, earning a yelp of pain. “Is part of the basics. If you don’t keep your basics, you’re not going to get far. In layman terms, you’re screwed.”

Before he could retaliate again, she slid open the door to the classroom where Iruka had already started roll call. He gave them a stern glare, a silent reprimand for being late, but never broke stride. The two wordlessly found their seats among their other graduating classmates.

”Think I’d be less intimidated if he’d chosen to chew us out, there’s something creepy about barely acknowledging us like that.” Takeshi muttered, sinking low into his seat.

”It’s Iruka-sensei, I’m sure he’s already over it.” Kotone whispered back, settling her chin into her hands. 

“Tsukuda Takeshi!”

”Yes sir!” 

Takeshi immediately sat straight up in his seat, looking straight ahead.

”If you could be as prompt with your arrivals as you were with your replies I wouldn’t end up having to repeat myself.” Iruka gave a small shake of his head, one hand rubbing at the dimple of his temple. A quick glare across the room silenced several scattered snickers and giggles as he turned back a page in a handful of notes he held. “Seeing as you’re here now, I’ll reread your team assignment. Team twelve consists of Tsukuda Takeshi, Wakahisa Eiji, and Tachibana Sayuri.”

Kotone exhaled a held breath, a knot of disappointment forming in the pit of her stomach. Although, she should have found it inevitable; their skill sets didn’t match up in the slightest, not even as complimentary differences in strength. 

”Oof, that’s a… well that’s a thing.” Takeshi slumped in his seat again, glancing over to his new teammates. “Sayuri’s a cute girl, kind of weird though. Not sure how I feel about this.”

”Eiji’s got decent scores in all of his classes, I’m sure you’ll all make a great team.”

”Not everything’s about scores and skills, personalities have to mesh well otherwise we’ll be a wreck.”

”It can’t be that bad. Being friends is ideal, but that’s not mandatory.” Takeshi’s mouth formed a tight smile; the two have had this borderline argument before. “Like us, we’re friends without being teammates. You can have teammates without being friends.”

”Of course you can say that now, but I seem to recall you saying ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we were on the same team?’ on more than one occasion.”

”-And Hachimitsu Kotone will make up team sixteen.”

Kotone’s head whipped forward, just missing her own team assignment. The other students were snickering though, and the disappointed knot in her stomach tightened into one of ominous dread. 

”Did you catch that?”

”No, did you?”

Kotone shook her head, looking around at all the faces in the room, hoping for some reaction that would give her an idea of what to expect, but most everyone were keeping to themselves. Sure, there were the few groups of people who were animatedly chatting away about their assigned teammates, but no reactions that helped her. She’d just have to find out later, and hope for the best.

“Your team can’t possible be as bad as the Hiros’.”

”Excuse you?”

”Apparently…” Takeshi’s grin turned mischievous, “Lady Hokage thought it’d be hilarious to team up Hiroko, Akihiro, and Hiroshi into one team. Hiroko’s been whispering back and forth with Osamu about since we got in here.”

”You’re a terrible gossip. And Lady Tsunade wouldn’t do that for no reason at all. Merely a coincidence, I’m sure.”

”You’re no fun.”

Iruka set down his papers on his desk, having finished announcing their teams. He gave a long, drawn out sigh before turning his gaze to his students, his newest comrades. 

”Listen, it’ll only get harder from here on out. I just want to say, I’m proud of every one of you for getting this far.” A quick clearing of his throat, and he continued. “Sentimentalities aside, you’ll meet your assigned jounin at a later date. They’ll contact you soon. Class dismissed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit dry, I'm trying to set up enough things so that the next chapters can be a bit meatier. I'd say it'll get better, but promising something like that almost sounds like I'm undermining myself and my efforts here, but I can say there'll definitely be some interesting stuff happening next chapter. Promise~
> 
> Edit 12/22/17-  
> I changed the picture because I'm self indulgent who's about to have a clothes shopping related chapter and needed a 'pre makeover' look. I make words go for fun so dammit Imma have fun


	3. Who Needs To Get Along?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so. You don't know how many times I tried writing this godforsaken chapter. I kid you not, I lost it at least three times to computers breaking on me. The first laptop had a cat land too heavily on it and broke the damn thing, the next two's harddrives completely crashed and I lost everything, two separate laptops doing the same thing. I was so pissed. Admittedly, the fourth time was my own stupidity to forgetting to save it and I totally lost my work on it. I almost named this chapter 'the chapter that refused to be written', and for anyone who was reading my Meukri (I'm so sorry) the same thing happened there.
> 
> It's incredibly disheartening to lose your work multiple times.
> 
> But here it is (because my friends have been waiting for this) in all it's probably typo'd glory. Enjoy!

"Celebratory lunch?"

Takeshi gave a shift of his weight from one foot to the other, glancing over in the direction of his new teammates. The two were animatedly chatting away by the door, fast friends already by the looks of things. Kotone felt a flare of jealousy in the pit of her stomach, knowing that her only friend was going to be further away from her than she'd believed possible. Or maybe it was over the ease of the new found friendship they were sharing? Probably a bit of both, she'd have to admit.

Not that he couldn't, or rather that he didn't,have other friends himself. Takeshi was more of a social creature than she was. Not to mention that her father approved of the friendship, so that was something at least. Her father didn't approve of too much that she had chosen for herself over the years. It was getting slowly easier to not let it bother her.

"Go, I should find my team, maybe get lunch with them."

She didn't miss his grateful smile, though she did barely dodge the playful punch to the shoulder.

"My uncle's out on an extended mission, so I'll try to be over for dinner. "

"Mom's ordering sushi for me tonight, in congratulations. "

"Then I'll be there for sure, tell her extra salmon."

"No way I'm sharing that, you can have the tuna!"

Their shared laughter put a fresh smile on both of their faces, and the taller boy ruffled at her hair. She in response gave him a hard shove in the direction of the door.

"You better go, Eiji and Sayuri's waiting for you. Don't want to make it awkward do you?"

"Hey speaking of, relax. Your brand of awkward is endearing. "

That earned him the blunted end of a kunai half heartily thrown at his head, which Takeshi easily dodged with an equally hearty laugh, then easily sliding into his teammates conversation as they exited the classroom, leaving her as the last occupant, at least for a minute or so while she gathered herself for the trek back home, thankfully this time without any thoroughly unplanned tackle attacks to unsuspecting strangers.

The village seemed to take on a whole new facet of life, feeling as though she were looking at it's citizens for the first time. In a cliche sort of way, she supposed she was; with her new role as one of the protectors of her home. The warm and excessively fuzzy feeling of pride welled up inside, spilling over as a wide grin plastered firmly on her face.

“Well don't you just look like the cat that swallowed the songbird!”

Said smile dropped as Kotone turned on her heel to face the stranger at her back. The boy before her now stood easily head and shoulders over her, pale as the buttercream her mother used for her birthday cake last year, and look of delighted self satisfaction that set her nerves on edge.

“Canary.”

“Excuse me?”

“The saying is 'cat who swallowed the canary', not 'songbird',” came her reply finally, tone flat with disapproval of the sudden interruption of her personal thoughts. 

“Canaries are songbirds all the same. That's like chastising me for calling a circle a shape instead of a circle.”

“It's... ah, Osamu right?”

The tall boy bowed deeply at the waist, his pony tail slipping forward over his shoulder.

“Yes, Osamu Charao at your service, a pleasure to meet you m'dear.”

Kotone made a face, nose scrunching up in displeasure at the sudden petname.

“No, no don't do that.”

Osamu's smile refused to waiver, but an eyebrow did quirk up in silent question.

“Kotone, that's my name. Use that please.”

“My _dear_ Kotone.” His voice pitched up in singsong, an attempt at flirtatious banter she was sure, none the less it set her even more on edge.

“I'm going to walk away from you now. Please don't follow me.”

“That's no way to treat your new teammate is it?”

Her heart dropped, sinking straight to her stomach with sickening velocity. Osamu made a noise, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

“That's quite the disheartening reaction isn't it? Not a very good first impression, I believe. We'll work on it, I'm sure.”

“You're my new teammate?”

“I do believe I just said that.”

Kotone stood there, balking at him and the sheer unluckiness of the encounter, and the arrangement for that matter. With a quick shake of her head, a physical motion to rid her from the mental stupor, and after what was probably a few moments too long later she answered.

“Just Kotone. Only, that. Please.”

“You're just a dandy ray of sunshine there, aren't you?” His laugh was easy, light and soft sounding despite the exaggerated way he held his stomach for dramatic effect. “Tell me, do you treat all new friends like this or am I a special case?”

“I don't exactly,” The words started tumbling out of her mouth, caught only for a moment before slipping through without her permission, “Make new friends to know which it is.”

The look she received for those few words reminded her of the first time she'd tried to leave the house with what her brother had called a 'fashion disaster'. Which had apparently been a slight against color scheme basics, as she was later told between indignant mutterings while he rummaged through her closet and dresser in search of more suitable clothes. Ninja shouldn't be vain indeed.

“You seem to get along perfectly well with the Tsukuda boy, you two aren't friends?”

“Takeshi's different, I've known him since I could walk. Err, so I'm told, not as if I could remember that far back any... way...” She let her voice trail off before the rambling could start in earnest, and further degrade this train wreck of a first impression. 

“Oooh isn't that just the perfect set up?” He quirked an eyebrow upward with an impossibly suggestive grin, and continued to explain despite a clear lack of questioning. “Come on now, childhood friends in the cusp of adult hood almost always becoming close lovers. An over used cliché but impossibly adorable none the less.”

“No! I mean, no just,” Kotone took a deep breath to steady her quickly fraying patience, “Just friends.”

“Although I have to admit, _shy girl from class falls for her childhood best friend, the amazing boy wonder!_ has probably been done a few times and then some. Not that it's a bad thing, I'll still be rooting for you!”

“I don't have romantic feelings or interest in Takeshi!” Kotone meant to let out a growl, a clear sign that the current subject was neither appreciated nor wanted. Instead it came out as an exasperated huff, to her own annoyance, and instead picked a tactful change in conversation. “Who's our third member anyway?”

“Absolutely delighted that you've asked!” Osamu took the bait much more enthusiastically than she'd originally anticipated. Although now he had his arm around her shoulder, bending over awkwardly at the waist so that his height more matched hers now, and started pulling her along in a new direction that wasn't home despite her dragging and sluggish gait.

“Now I could just tell you, but I fail to see the fun in that. So instead we're going to go to this lovely little restaurant and I'm going to buy my new teammate a treat and show you instead.”

“I'm perfectly capable of buying stuff for myself,” No amount of wiggling was releasing his iron grip, “And _walking_ for myself.”

“Ah, but you have no idea where our destination is! Or the significance of said destination!”

“That's nice, but-”

“Hey asshole she's clearly uncomfortable!”

That one was clearly a new voice, and both turned their head to the interloper. The girl stood just a few inches over Kotone herself, but their close height was where their similarities ended. Where Kotone was paler (though not quite so much as Osamu) dark haired and slenderly built, this new girl had wild red curls with muscle mass that she wouldn't quite call stacked, but still remarkably impressive for a freshly graduated genin.

“You're, Akara right?” 

“Kotone dear, meet teammate number three!”

“I asked you already not to do that, it's just Kotone.”

“There was no asking in that, sit was more of a rude demand of sorts.”

“Oi where you even listening to me!”

Akara's foot stomped in the dirt, kicking up a small dust cloud as she scowled. Without any warning whatsoever, she'd crossed over the few feet to them and forcibly removed Osamu's hand from Kotone's shoulder.

At the fingers.

By bending them backwards, dangerously close to snapping bones.

Osamu squealed, jumping back and nursing his now tender digits, finally dropping his smile for a scowl that easily rivaled Akara's dark expression.

“It's called being friendly Akara, something clearly that's lost on you. She never did actually say-”

“I swear on the graves of all the Hokages if you continue that sentence I will punch your teeth out.”

Osamu breathed out a heavy sigh, still cradling his hand as if it were an injured animal.

“Fine, fine, I apologize m'dea-... I apologize Kotone.”

“S'okay. Just, please don't do that again.”

“At least she has manners.”

Akara's temper flared, and Kotone could almost swear she saw the other girls curls rise in her fury.

“I was promised treats! We should go get some!” Kotone squeaked out, grabbing both their wrists as quick as she could, tugging them forward before a fight broke out. Akara wrenched out of her grasp, glaring a barrage of daggers at the tall boy. If looks could kill that girl could easily cause a massacre. 

“Fine. Asshole's paying though.”

“I already offered to pay, but not for you. I don't buy sweets for girls who attempt to cripple me.”

“Trust me pretty boy, if I wanted to break your hand I would have.”

“Compliments won't help your situation, I'm still mad at you.”

“Who wants dango!”

Kotone's desperate bid for a distraction surprisingly struck a chord, especially with Akara who suddenly gave her full and undivided attention. She let out a sigh of relief, not even caring how obvious the ploy was, it still worked.

“I know a good place,” Akara took her hand up this time, eyes practically sparkling with glee, “Nope, not just a good place, I know the perfect place! I go there all the time, you'll love it.”

“How's about you lead the way then?” 

Akara's fist pumped in the air, immediately leading off with too much speed.

“I say we ditch her.”

Osamu's casual comment was promptly ignored, he'd follow in his own time. Probably.

Akara lead them down streets Kotone found unfamiliar, as a creature of habit she rarely ventured too far from her favorite locations. Maybe it was time to change that, especially now as a newly graduated kunoichi, new things were going to happen and happen often. Not-so-deep down, she got the feeling baby steps would not be an option with these two.

“This little hole in the wall is my favorite place to eat.”

Akara beamed, hands on her hips while proudly presenting the intended shop, a small building with hardly more than a handful of tables and chairs. Quaint enough, an elderly husband and wife tending to the customers with the most earnestly cheerful expressions as they worked. Orders were taken, and the new members of team sixteen sat down in an out of the way table eating in near silence, save for Osamu's occasional over-the-top sigh of contentment with his dango or from bodies shifting for more comfortable positions in their respective seats. Several long minutes went by this way, the silence bearing heavy.

Until a thought crossed Kotone's head. It started as a soft giggle, then laughter, until she was in outright hysterics while doubled over, her head resting on the table as she clutched at herself. 

Needless to say, her two companions were startled, exchanging worried glances just until Akara remembered to be pointedly angry with Osamu.

“I just realized,” Kotone finally said, rubbing tears from her eyes with the heel of her palm, “We're all wearing pony tails.”

“And here I was thinking you were having a mental break down.”

“Perhaps she is, although it is a little funny now that you mention it.”

“C'mon pretty boy, you're laughing too. Little doesn't cut it.”

“Although, does a side-pony really count as a pony tail?”

“Don't get technical on her, she's the one who pointed it out.”

It might take some work, but somehow, just somehow, Kotone got the feeling everything would be okay.


	4. Who Needs to Understand What's Going On Even?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It'll take years before he even grows up enough to make it past Genin.” Sakura shrugged and shook her head with a sigh that hinted at just how incredibly done she was with her teammate. “He's brash, thick headed, idiotic, and not to mention the complete lack of forethought.”
> 
> Stopping in her tracks, Sakura turned back to give a gentle smile as a warm breeze blew past. Maybe it was the fading light playing tricks in her eyes, but Kotone could almost have sworn she saw the other girl's mint eyes twinkle.
> 
> “But he's also determined, what he doesn't have in talent he makes up with sheer audacity and plenty of luck,” She winked, “But don't tell him I said that, okay?”

The sun had only just begun to touch the horizon, casting reds and golds across the evening sky. Children rushed home to dinner they knew would be on the table. Friendly shop owners waved to passerbys as they locked up for the evening. Kotone walked slow, letting her fingers trail along building walls and fences on her trek home. So much happened today, more than she could totally make sense of by herself. Just the thought of getting home to air everything out with her brother was enough for her to pick up her pace. Even if she couldn't make sense of the... quirkier nature of her teammates, surely Yuki would. Or have advice for her, ease her frazzled mind, anything to help her out really.

“I seem to be on their good sides now. Wonder how to keep it that way? The two of them seem kinda persnickety,” She mused aloud, rolling her thumb across metal plate in her headband. Stopping in her tracks, she cast her eyes down to her reflection in the plate, a tight frown thrown back at her. “This would have been much easier if I'd just been on Takeshi's team.”

A quiet frustrated growl escaped before she could stop it, followed quickly by a forcibly deep breath.

“A ninja mustn't show weakness.” She recited quietly to herself, resuming her walk home. “Emotions are dangerous and can be effortlessly turned against you.” She knew these mantras, she'd spent hours pouring over them and committing them to memory. Don't show weakness, don't shed tears, follow your superior's instructions. These and so many many many others that made up the basic foundations of being a ninja of the Leaf.

"Oi! That's the brat that mowed me over this morning!"

Kotone once again stopped in her tracks, daring to glance over her shoulder at the angry voice advancing on her at a terrifyingly quick pace. Dust clouds practically kicked up behind him as he bolted her way. Before she could react, her fight or flight response on the very verge of picking flight, another angry voice and the body belonging to it tackled the original angry voice and body belonging to it to the ground. A flurry of debris and flailing limbs later, the blond boy's pink haired friend easily and quickly pinned him in a choke hold. Any words he attempted to articulate were lost in the tussle. 

“You idiot you can't just go around attacking people!” Kotone could have sworn she saw a vein in the girl's temple threatening to burst. “She said she was sorry the first time around this morning!” 

“Guh! Sakura I can't breathe!” The blond boy gasped, flailing ineffectually at the pink-haired girl's iron grip. “Sakura please, losing oxygen!”

The girl, Sakura, finally let go and the blond boy collapsed in a dramatic heap on the ground, just a few feet away from where Kotone stood. Utterly flabbergasted and at a total loss for words, several uncomfortably long seconds of silence passed before she attempted to say anything.

“I'm... sorry?”

“Don't apologize to him again, he'll never learn that way.” Sakura's demeanor changed immediately, so quickly that Kotone was surprised mental whiplash wasn't an actual thing. She looked back and forth between the two, words failing her. Sakura took her shocked silence in stride, with a smile even, and continued. “You're a new Kunoichi right? I don't think I saw you with your headband earlier. Why aren't you wearing it?”

Kotone turned over the headband in her hands, watching the metal glint in the dimming sunlight, and remembered her brothers words from the morning. With the awful first impression she was already making, she nervously feared her answer would shatter whatever slim chance of respect the older ninja would have for her. Sakura waited patiently for her answer while she thought carefully, and failing horribly to find a string of words that didn't sound utterly humiliating. When cherry picking her response didn't work, she groaned out in defeat and fessed up.

“It, um, messes my bangs up.” She pushed them back, mental image of the ends sticking up horribly made her cringe and immediately let them fall back in their original place. “I thought it made me look, well, silly.”

“So put it somewhere else.” Sakura's answer didn't hold a hint of judgment, pointing to her own headband on the top of her head. Kotone could have literally slapped herself for the stupidly obvious answer. She'd seen all too many ninjas wear their own headbands in places that was decidedly not their foreheads. While trapped in her musings, Sakura reached over and took the headband from Kotone's hands, who hadn't realized how much she'd been rubbing the smooth plate and tracing the leaf shaped groove in the surface. The older kunoichi wiped away the smudge mark with the front of her skirt before holding it up, then gave it a tap with the tip of her nails. It made a quiet but definitive sound, unmistakably metallic. 

“The plating's rather resilient, so for utilities sake you can always put it in vital spots. Around your neck-”

“An enemy could get behind you and suddenly the placement puts you at a disadvantage.” Kotone interjected. Sakura shook her head in bemusement, poking her in the neck.

“If the enemy is close enough to grab you like that, it leaves him open to counter attack," Sakura gave a tug at Kotone's collar, who easily knocked it away. "Besides, it could save your life, even a grazing blow could be enough to kill you. On that note; here... here... and here...” She began poking the younger genin again, very well placed and calculated, mimicking diagrams she'd seen a thousand times before and memorized by heart

“You're pointing out arteries?” Sakura's eyes lit up in delight, giving an enthusiastic and approving nod. Kotone positively beamed under the nonverbal praise.

“You can always pick a different spot if you don't like where it is. It's not like you'd have to keep it there forever.”

“Tch! Women.” Sakura sent a death glare to the blond, who had apparently by now regained all of his facilities and was sitting with hs arms crossed, indignantly looking over in the other direction. Or, from the way his shoulders quivered-ever-so-slightly, probably was regretting the momentary slip of the tongue. Either or. Even still, the comment poked at her self-conciousness. Her brother's words parroted in her head.

A ninja shouldn’t be so vain. 

So she made her decision quick.

“If I hold my arm out, could you tie it on for me?” Once finished glaring, Sakura nodded, and in one quick motion bend the metal to fit, (Kotone in awe of how easily she managed without snapping it in two), and miraculously tied the ends off without cutting of circulation to the rest of the limb. As if testing a new weapon, she gave the arm a flex and a few swings. Noting how nothing dug in hard or felt entirely uncomfortable, she grinned. “I feel official.”

Somehow she found herself wishing for two more of the pink-haired kunoichi, just enough to replace the oddities that were her new teammates. This kind of gentle mannerisms would be a breeze to get along with, even possibly flourish under. 

“C'mon Sakura, Kakashi-sensei is probably waiting on us, we don't have time to waste on fashion tips!” The blond boy had a hint of whining in his voice, just enough to make it annoying to listen to in combination with his sandle tapping against the ground.

“You know damn well Kakashi isn't there yet Naruto.” 

Then again, if look Sakura was giving and the thinly veiled hostility in her voice hinted at even half of the temper she was masking, it might be best to take her chances with the wanna-be-playboy and the hot-tempered-red-head.

“Y-you're making an awful first impression Sakura...”

“Cha! You're one to talk, flinging yourself at strangers like that!”

“ _SHE_ was the one who ran into _ME_! This won't happen when I'm Hokage! Mark my words kid, you and everyone else in this village will know my name and respect it then!” The boy, Naruto, threw out an accusing finger and with started flailing, more than Kotone knew was entirely possible. An internal switch that was apparently labeled _Flip Your Shit_ and _Pout Indignantly Indefinitely_ flipped firmly into the latter. He crossed his arms and looked sharply away. “Getting mauled by kids you don't even know, pah!”

“You aren't that much older if she's a graduate!” Sakura literally knocked Naruto upside the head, tipping him breifly off balance as he stumbled forward. Grumbling in clear annoyance and rubbing his head where she hit, he harrumphed once more before stalking off while muttering about 'getting there first then' and 'always so violent with me'. “What a pain in the neck.”

“Hokage's a lofty goal. Your friend'll have his work cut out for him.”

“It'll take years before he even grows up enough to make it past Genin.” Sakura shrugged and shook her head with a sigh that hinted at just how incredibly done she was with her teammate. “He's brash, thick headed, idiotic, and not to mention the complete lack of forethought.”

Stopping in her tracks, Sakura turned back to give a gentle smile as a warm breeze blew past. Maybe it was the fading light playing tricks in her eyes, but Kotone could almost have sworn she saw the other girl's mint eyes twinkle.

“But he's also determined, what he doesn't have in talent he makes up with sheer audacity and plenty of luck,” She winked, “But don't tell him I said that, okay?”

Skeptical of her assessment, but not wanting to disappoint, Kotone nodded. Although she vaguely got the feeling that even if she did manage to stumble into Naruto again, he wouldn't exactly believe the praise his teammate just expressed. Or maybe they got along better than they let on? It wasn't exactly feasible to expect every human relationship was exactly the same.

“Hey, if you ever need help with anything you can ask me, okay?” Sakura laid a hand on top of Kotone's head, a gesture no one had given her in years. She felt her cheeks flush and ducked out from the hand. Sakura giggled regardless, letting her hand flop back to her side with no obvious hard feelings.

“Anything?”

“Hmm? Did you have something in mind already?”

Kotone's nose twitched involuntarily. For a split second she debated with herself, whether to ask about her own team. Maybe Sakura would sagely advice or some learned knowledge to impart.

“It's nothing.” Kotone said finally, “But I do appreciate the offer, Sakura-senpai.”

This time Sakura's cheeks flushed, and for what felt like an excruciatingly long time Kotone could have sworn she just offended the pink haired kunoichi. Before her mind could have the chance to over react properly, coming up with only one escape route before being broken from her reverie, another wild interruption barreled through. Perhaps a testament to Sakura's quick reflexes, or maybe more to familiarity with such violently odd occurrences.

Kotone couldn't help but wonder if this would be her new status quo or if this was just an exceptionally strange day.

The kind and sister attitude that Sakura had been sporting up until now flipped on its heels. Now butting heads, literally as it seemed, with the new stranger. The electric in the air was just short of palpable, enough that Kotone seriously considered a swift exit, stage left without so much as a good bye.

“Hey Forehead! Long time no see!” There was no hint of friendly greeting in the new blonde's tone, throwing one arm entirely too tightly around Sakura's neck. “Making new friends with the newbies I see! How absolutely freakin _adorable!”_

Wow. Ouch, that stung. Also entirely uncalled for.

“Impeccable timing as ever Ino-pig!” Sakura wasn't giving an inch, her first driving hard into the top of the new girl's head with a terrifyingly strong twist. Kotone could have sworn she saw a strand or two of the long blond hair fall out with the force. If it was a fight for dominance the two seemed pretty evenly matched at the moment, if not only for the equal levels of display in petty frenemy-level violence.

“I think I've got to get home now,” Kotone mumbled the too-lame excuse, side stepping away slowly as though a quick movement would insight either of them. Whatever respect she'd built up for Sakura so far she wanted so badly to leave intact, and fleeing before it shattered seemed like a brilliant idea. “Like five minutes ago even, pretty sure I'm late.”

“Oh, wait!” Yet again Sakura snapped from one mood to the next, but couldn't pull away from Ino's vice-like grip. Slipping out from under proved to make matters worse, now trapped in the crook of Ino's arm in such an awkward angle that she couldn't possibly get a leg up on her now. “Get off Ino-pig! You scared her away!”

“I'm sure a great _senpai_ like yourself can recover fro-”

Whatever Ino was about to quip back with faded as Kotone rapidly put distance between herself and the altercation she wanted entirely no part of. Were all friendships supposed to be so savage? Part of her wanted to ask Takeshi, part of her knew he'd tell her she'd know better if she focused more on making friends and less on training. He'd be right in his own way of course but...

Her frustrations were taken out on an innocent pebble in the road, it skittering forward with all the power that can be expected out of a fresh Academy graduate.

“Dare I ask what the poor pebble did to deserve that?”

Yuki stood in the road, hands shoved in his pockets with a lopsided grin on his face. Like haven in the turbulent of everything that was weird.

“It's a long story.”

“We got time. Dad's in a mood anyway, wanna go on a walk?”

Kotone jogged over in a few brisk steps and looped her arm through his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long long long LONG delay ;.; I have little excuse beyond depression bullshit coupled with a hell of a writers block that made this chapter a BITCH to write. However I'm pleased to say over the course of writing this chapter I brain stormed more plots, fixed some of my own plot holes, edited the hell out of this chapter, and other little nudges of self-improvement for the future of this self-indulgent POS. Honestly thank y'all for reading my shitty OCs being shitty.
> 
> That being said I'mma warn y'all now.
> 
> I am going to be SEVERELY editing the canon time line, because I'm more telling a store than trying to seamlessly incorporate my characters into an already existing universe. Prepare yourselves y'all, if I can keep my motivation locked down you're in for a ride.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello~! Lemme just take a minute to say, thank you for reading this far! I haven't done a Naruto fic in forever, so I might be a bit rusty with all my facts. Please forgive any that come up from here on out. Now, I know my tags say I'm OC shipping trash, but that will not be the main focus for most of my fic I promise. It's gunna be the shenanigans between my team here, with spotted interactions with the main cast as I see fit. This is only the prologue, next chapter will probably be out soon if you're still interested. Stick around, see what comes up!
> 
> -edit-  
> Those who care, I changed her name. Chiori was an old old old oc I had in middle school, and while she's changed drastically over the years, her name was the one thing I didn't. I felt it was time for that change finally, and wanted something that wasn't just cobbled together syllables. Good bye, the last threads of my childhood oc!


End file.
